Egregor: An Eldritch Privacy Mental Model For Smart Assistants

The increasing popularity of smart personal assistants has meant the rapid inclusion of data-collecting technology in homes. Research has shown that the privacy notices for these smart devices can be ineffective, as users often have incorrect mental models about what happens to data collected from them. To provide more effective data collection cues, we present a redesign of traditional, friendly smart assistant personas: eGregor, an eldritch hive mind being. Using science fiction concepts in conjunction with visceral notice, a concept that eschews purely text-based privacy indicators, eGregor more clearly represents the data practices of a hypothetical parent company. It has various aesthetic and auditory indicators and an intuitive and terrifying persona. We draw attention to the potential for major smart personal assistant companies to improve upon their user interface designs.